Solo: A Star Wars Story director Ron Howard has given an update about a potential Solo sequel—and it is not an encouraging one for fans of the movie. The first Solo introduced young versions of classic Star Wars characters Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) alongside new characters played by Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, and Paul Bettany. Darth Maul was also reintroduced at the end of the film, signaling plans for the franchise's future. Spinoffs and sequels were intended for several of the characters as part of Lucasfilm's previous movie plans.
However, the movie's reception halted these plans and changed Lucasfilm's mindset overall. Solo: A Star Wars Story's box office performance was underwhelming, and it also received mixed reviews from both critics and fans. The fact that original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were fired from the movie for "creative differences" during shooting and replaced with Howard didn't give the impression that production went smoothly. In a recent interview with NME, Howard provided a discouraging update about the possibility that Solo 2 will happen where he says the interest is only from fans, not the studio, to make another.
The only discussion that I’m aware of about a sequel for Solo is coming from the fans at this point. I don’t think it’s a Lucasfilm priority, as I understand it. But there’s some great characters launched, and the folks from Lucasfilm love the fans and really do listen, so I would never say never – but I’m not aware of any concrete plans right now to extend the story or deal with that particular set of characters.
Why Did Solo Bomb At The Box Office?
As one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars canon, an origin story about Han Solo was certainly something that Lucasfilm thought would be a home run. Unfortunately, an ever-ballooning budget caused by Solo's massive reshoots contributed to the film being viewed as a disappointment by the studios. Raking in just under $400 million at the box office would usually be a success, but not when the film is one of the most expensive movies ever made and supposedly has the benefit of built-in support from the Star Wars fan base.
Solo: A Star Wars Story's box office failure is the result of varying factors. The film hit theaters weeks after Avengers: Infinity War and with a very small marketing window, as Disney did not want to delay the movie despite its many production issues. This contributed to the movie earning mixed reviews from all viewers, as well as the movie's formulaic explanation of every little detail of Han's life, including how he got his last name and Han Solo's gold dice.
Many individuals involved with Solo: A Star Wars Story have shared their opinion on why the film did not connect with audiences. Reinstated Disney CEO Bob Iger took some of the blame, while Howard has mentioned that the heavy use of nostalgia may have led to the film's disappointing reception. Still, the likes of screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and star Alden Ehrenreich have continued to praise the original film and remain interested in making Solo 2. It seems that any future Solo: A Star Wars Story sequels or spinoffs are unfortunately not part of the plan right now.
Source: NME